"He had an addiction to painkillers, weed, and alcohol." She began, breathing slowly through each word. "That night, he mixed them all and drove the car off a bridge..."
"Was it instant?"
"No. He drowned slowly-trapped like an animal."
"I am sensing something you are not telling me..." He said-slowly.
"I was in the back seat. They called me the "miracle" at the hospital. I had water filled up to sixty percent of my lungs, a severe concussion, four broken ribs, a broken arm, a sprained neck, and every finger broken but two."
"Oh God..." He said-gasping at the other end of the phone. "I was saved by a guardian angel that I would much rather ask to take me back..."
"Don't say that." He snapped. "You are a gift to this world, Scarlett. Even if you do not see that..." He calmed his tone now. "You are beautiful both in and out even through the pain you have endured. You have been thorough literal hell and back and you stand everyday as a survivor. Somebody looks at you and sees this, and they are in love with your strength..."
"Nobody at school even looks at me twice...That's Claire..."
"You..." He was gritting his teeth on the other end of the phone. "You have no idea how wrong you are. Maybe instead of looking for boys, you should find a man. One that knows how to treat a woman. One who knows how to treat a bright, beautiful..." It was as if he were two different people switching his tone once more. "Somebody will see that....Plus, real gentleman want ladies, not girls like Claire..."
"What is the difference?"
"Claire is what we refer to as "plastic and latex". Meaning nothing is real about them aside from how plastic and stiff they are."
"And what do you call girls like me?"
"There are no girls like you...you are truly one of a kind...You are strong, slightly quiet but in a good way, and pure. That's the kind of girl you are..."
As Scarlett just began to smile, a loud bang was heard on her door. Quickly, her heart stopped.
"Thank you, I have to go..." But when she went to hang up, instead she just muted her side of the conversation so she was unable to hear what he would say. She was unaware he had been listening.
"Are you on the phone again? You worthless teenager...always on your electronic devices..." Her father said as he hit her door against the wall. "Who are you talking to? Claire? That is your only friend after all...have her come over...I miss seeing that tight ass..." He said giving a sick smile.
Scarlett just sat there as bile rose in her throat. But her silence angered him more.
"Listen girl! Your mother will be back, and when she is I'm telling her about your little midnight phone calls...with your array of men..."
"Dad, please go to sleep-"
"I'll go when I'm good and ready you no-good slut!" He said slamming the door. Realizing this was not the time to squeeze more information from her, Mr. Scott hung up his end of the phone. And like most nights, Scarlett fell asleep with a new scar on her wrist and sodden eyes.
